Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 21: India’s leading middle-distance runner Parul Chaudhary has made an impressive start to her 3000m steeplechase season by recording the second-best timing ever by an Indian athlete at the Shanghai Diamond League.
The 31-year-old athlete from Uttar Pradesh clocked 9 minutes 12.84 seconds in the event, narrowly missing her own national record and personal best of 9:12.46.
“The idea was to record a personal best in the season opener. I missed it by a whisker, but overall I am happy with the race and how my season has started,” Parul said after the event.
She added that the performance had given her confidence ahead of a packed international season.
Parul finished seventh in a highly competitive field featuring Tokyo Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda and reigning world champion Faith Cherotich of Kenya. Chemutai eventually edged out Cherotich in a thrilling finish to win the race.
Speaking about competing alongside elite international athletes, Parul said such exposure helps improve performance levels.
“The advantage of competing with world-class athletes is the constant push we get as athletes. I have competed at World Championships and Diamond Leagues before, and it has helped me improve consistently,” she said.
Parul currently dominates Indian women’s steeplechase. She holds seven of the top ten timings recorded by an Indian athlete in the event, including the top four performances.
The next best among current Indian athletes is Ankita Dhyani, whose personal best stands at 9 minutes 27.91 seconds.
Parul also confirmed that she would skip the Federation Cup Athletics Championships beginning May 22 in Ranchi, having already achieved the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification standard of 9:27.41 for the Commonwealth Games.
With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games approaching, Parul is now focusing on making a strong impact at the continental and global level.
Athletics at the Commonwealth Games traditionally features elite competitors from countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Caribbean nations. Indian athletics witnessed a major breakthrough at the 2022 CWG when Avinash Sable won a historic silver medal in men’s steeplechase, breaking the long-standing Kenyan dominance in the event.
Parul will now aim to further strengthen her status as one of Asia’s leading middle-distance runners in the upcoming international competitions.